Collapsible container



A ril 19, 1938. D RAY 2,114,737

COLLAPS IBLE CONTAINER Filed May 2, 1936 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1938 I 2,114,737

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE OOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Dale B. Gray, Kansas City, Mo, assignor to Warren Terry, Kansas City, Mo.

Application May 2, 1936, Serial No. 77,496

Claims. (01. 220--6) This invention relates to collapsible containers outside dimension of the bottom member. The and particularly to a container of rigid construcend members l8 are preferably made of a rigid tion. material which maintains the end portions of the The principal object of the present invention bottom and the top rim in a fixed, spaced-apart 5 is to provide a container which, when distended, relation. Side members 24 are hingedly mounted shall be rigid, but which may be collapsed when as at 26 to the top rim 22 and are free to oscillate not in use to permit storage of the container in thereon between the end plates l8 when the cona mall ac tainer is in the opened position. Each of the A further object of this invention is the proside members 24 is provided With a rigidly 10 vision of a collapsible container having a rectantached stirrup 28 that extends above the top rim l0 gular bottom, a top rim, rigid end members piv- 22 and in the plane of the respective side memotally interconnecting said bottom and top rim, her. side members hingedly mounted on said top rim A flexible handle 30 engages these stirrups and for oscillation between said end members, means extends across the container to serve as a means for interengaging said side members with the for transporting the container and also for mov- 15 bottom when the container is distended, and a ing the container members from the collapsed to flexible handle so mounted on said side members the distended position. It will be observed that as to cause the container to be moved to the open the flexible handle 30 is of a proper length to position when supported thereby. just extend across the container when in the col- Another object of this invention is to provide lapsed position, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby pro- 20 a simple, economical and eiiective collapsible conviding a minimum thickness of the device when tainer, the invention consisting in certain pecucollapsed.

liarities of construction and combination of parts The major part of the inner portion of the as hereinafter set forth. lower edges of side members 24 is turned out- Reference will now be had to the drawing, wardly to form flanges 32. These flanges are 25 wherein: adapted to engage recesses 34 formed by the in- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible turned flange 36 along the side portions of the container shown in the open or distended position, bottom member ill.

embodying this invention. Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it will be noted Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container that the inner end of eyelet I4 is so positioned as 30 shown in the collapsed or closed position. to form an abutment for the flange 32 when the Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional container is in the open position, thereby preview, taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1. venting end weaving of the container which Fig. 4 is an enlarged, horizontal, sectional view, might be present if the parts where not closely g5 taken on line IVIV of Fig. 1. fitted together. It has been found advantageous 5 Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line to provide spring detents 38, as clearly shown VV of Fig. 4, and, in Fig. 6, to prevent accidental movement of the Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View, taken on line flange 32 from recess 34. This detent, however, VIVI of Fig. 4. will not preclude collapsing of the container when 40 Like reference characters designate similar suflicient pressure is exerted to oscillate side 0 parts throughout the several views, and the members 24 inwardly. Detents 38 are shown as numeral It! indicates a rectangular bottom memlips pressed from the material forming bottom 10; her formed from sheet metal or other suitable however, should this bottom be constructed of material and provided at its end portions with some non-resilient material, then separate deeyelets l2, and at its side portions with eyelets tents of suitable material could be attached there- I4. Angled wire members It are provided at to. each corner of said bottom member and are To collapse the container, the two sides 24 are adapted to extend into eyelets l2 and I4 and to oscillated inwardly between end members l8 and serve as pintles for the end members l8 which then the side members, together with the end are hingedly mounted at their lower portion members, are moved downwardly to contact the 50 thereon. bottom, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. When dis- The upper edge of each of the end members 18 tending or opening the container, the operator is rolled as at 20 to form a bearing on the top simply grasps flexible handle 30 and by a quick rim frame 22. This top rim frame consists of a movement upwardly, causes the parts to assume rectangular formed wire of substantially the same the position shown in Fig. 1.

While the container has been shown as constructed from sheet material, it is possible to create a similar functioning container by utilizing a frame work for the separate elements and then to cover said frames with a fabric or other soft material.

What I claim is:

1. In a collapsible container, a rectangular bottom; a top rim; and members pivotally interconnecting said bottom and the top rim; side members hingedly mounted on said top rim and movable to engage said bottom when the container is distended; a stirrup rigidly carried by each of said side members, extending outwardly from the edge thereof to the opposite side of the top rim thereof a sufficient distance to constitute a lever; and a flexible handle joining the outwardly extended portions of said stirrups and extending across the top of said container, said handle being drawn to its fullest length when the sides are swung inwardly to collapse the container.

2. In a collapsible container, a rectangular bottom; a top rim; and members pivotally interconnecting said bottom and top rim; inturned flanges along each of two opposite edges of the bottom to form recesses; a pair of side members each hingedly mounted on said top rim and each having an out-turned flange at its bottom edge for engaging respectively one of the bottom recesses when the container is distended; a stirrup integral with each of said side members rigidly extending outwardly from the edge thereof to the opposite side of the top rim therefrom a suflicient distance to constitute a lever; and a flexible handle joining the outwardly extended portions of said stirrups.

3. In a collapsible container, a rectangular bottom; a top rim, and members pivotally interconnecting said bottom and top rim; inturned flanges along each of two opposite edges of the bottom to form recesses; a pair of side members each hingedly mounted on said top rim and each having an out-turned flange at its bottom edge for engaging respectively one of the bottom recesses when the container is distended; a stirrup integral with each of said side members rigidly extending outwardly from the edge thereof to the opposite side of the top rim therefrom a suflicient distance to constitute a lever; and a flexible handle joining the outwardly extended portions of said stirrups whereby to force said side flanges into said recesses when the con tainer is supported thereby.

4. In a collapsible container, a rectangular bottom; a top rim; members pivotally interconnecting said bottom and top rim; side members hingedly mounted on said top rim and positioned to oscillate between said end members; an outturned flange at the bottom of each side member; an inturned flange along each of two opposite edges of said bottom to form recesses for receiving the flanges of the respective side members; abutments formed on said bottom adjacent the ends of the out-turned flanges of the side members to preclude longitudinal movement of said flanges in said recesses; and a flexible hanolle joining said side members at points a sufficient distance from the hinge connection, on the opposite side of the members from said flanges to cause the flanges to move into the respective recesses when the container is supported by the handle.

5. In a collapsible container, a rectangular bottom; a top rim, and members pivot-ally inter connecting said bottom and top rim; inturned flanges along each of two opposite edges of said bottom to form recesses; side members hingedly mounted on said top rim, each having an outturned flange at its bottom edge for engaging one of the recesses when the container is distended; detents preventing accidental removal of the flanges from said recesses; a stirrup rigid with each of said side members extending outwardly from the edge thereof to the opposite side of the top rim therefrom a sufficient distance to constitute a lever; and a flexible handle connecting said stirrups.

DALE B. GRAY. 

